Tube expander and flarer



Feb. 18,1930. 5, R, MAUPlN 1,747,723

TUBE EXPANDER AND FLARER Filed Aug. 6. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I GRAVES B. MA'UPIN,or MOB RLY, MISSOURI, Ass'reno'n To man J. FAESSLER MANU- FACTURINGCOMPANY, or IVI-OBERLY, MISSOURI, A COPARTNERSHIP COMPOSED or ELIZABETHFAESSLER, CHR-ISTINIA raEssLER, LoUIs E. FAESSLER, AND GRAVES R. MAUIINApplication filed August 6, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in tube expanders and flarers, andhas for its primary object a tube expander and flarer which is providedwith separate flaring and expanding rollers, all of the rollers,however, being operated simultaneously and by a single mandrel.

A further object is to construct a tube expander and flarer in whichcertain of the rollers will roll and expand a cylindrical surface, andthe other rollers cause the end of the tube or sleeve to be flaredoutwardly.

A still further object is to construct a tube expander and flarer inwhich both the cage containing the rollers and the mandrel will feedlongitudinally and automatically.

A still further objectis to construct a tube expander and flarer inwhich the mandrel is so arranged that the rollers can move completelyinto the cage.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device;

2 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of F lg, 2 showingthe mandrel and rollers in elevation expanding and flaring a sleeve;

F 1g. 1 1s a fragmental view of the mandrel showing the portion which isadapted to re-' ceive the flaringrollers when in collapsed position; i

Fig. ,5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the cage showing the rollers incollapsed position and i section of amodifled' form of my structure.

In the construction-of my device I employ acage 12 which is-provid'edonits forward end with a projecting sleeve 13. The sleeve- Serial No.297,800.

and ca e have extendin therethroiwh a lonb b b git-udinal bore 14:.

Formed in the side of the cage are a plurality of radially extendingopenings 15, in which the expanding rollers are located. The outer edgesof the openings 15 are turned over as indicated by the numeral 16 so asto prevent the rollers from passing entirely therethrough.

To the rear of the openings 15 are openings 17. These are preferablylocated diametrically opposite each other and not only extend outward,but also incline forward on their outer ends. This is clearlyillustrated in Figs. 3 and 7 Located in certain of the openings areexpanding rollers 18. These rollersare relatively short and do notextend to the openings 17. Between certain of the rollers 18 are placedexpanding rollers 19. These rollers are longer than the rollers 18 andextend rearwardly a sufiicient distance so as to overlap the forwardedge of the flaring rollers 20. This is for the purpose of preventing abead or ridge being rolled on the inside ofacted on at all.

Extending longitudinally through the cage is mandrel which is providedon its forward end with an angular surface 21 for the engagement with awrench or other implement for rotating the mandrel. To the rear of thisangular portion is an enlarged cylindrical portion 22 which hasextending therethrough a pin 23. This pin is longer than the diameter ofthe cylindrical portion so that its projecting ends can enter slots 24which are formed in the sleeve 13 and which are diametrically oppositeeach other.

To the rear of the cylindrical portion 22 is a tapering portion 24 whichtapers down till it meets the cylindrical portion 25. Part of thecylindrical portion 25 is cut away so as to leave flat faces 26. Thesefaces are for the purpose of receiving the flaring rollers 20 when incollapsed position. See Fig. 7.

-mandrel in one cl1rect1on the mandrel will be To the rear of the flatfaces 26 is a gradually tapering portion 27 which constitutes theworking part of the mandrel. The end of the mandrel is provided with areduced cylindrical portion 28 on which is loosely mounted a collar orwasher 29. This collar or washer is held in position by means of acotter-key or pin30. The purpose of the washer is to pre vent themandrel from being pulled entirely through the cage.

It will be noted the rollers 18 and 19 are slightly tapered so that theywill be incontact with the tapered portion of the mandrel 27 throughouttheir length and still present a horizonal face on the outside of thecage so that a cylindrical surface can be rolled.

The openings 17 are also so arranged that the longitudinal axes of therollers 18 and 19 will be at a slight angle to the longitudinal axis ofthe mandrel. In this way by rotating the automatically drawn forwardforcing the rollers 18 and 19 outward. 5 And simultaneously with thismovement the flaring rollers 20 will also be forced outward. But theirmovement in addition to being outward will be forward, so that they willmove outward at an angle less than 90 to the mandrel axis therebycausing the sleeve or end of the tube to be flared.

In Fig. 3 I have shown my device as flaring and expanding a sleeve. Itwill be noted in this view that the portion 31 of the sleeve is expandedand rolled cylindrically, while the portion 32 is being acted on by therollers 20 and flared.

In the device shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the flare on the sleeveis placed on the inside of the boiler, and for this reason it isnecessary that all of the rollers recede or are collapsed into the cageso that the cage can be introduced through the sleeve sufiiciently. farto permit the rollers 20 to commence operation. This is done by pushingthe mandrel intothe sleeve so that the ends of the pin 23 enter theslots 24, as in Fig. 7. When in this position the rollers 18 and 19 reston the cylindrical portion 25 of the mandrel, while the flaring rollers20 rest on the surfaces 26. This position is assured by the reason thatthe pin 23 must enter the slots 24 before the then pulled bodily towardthe operator.

rollers 20 can collapse, and in order for this pin to enter the slots,the mandrel must be so turned as to present the flat or supportingsurfaces 26 to the rollers 20.

After the rollers have been thus receded or thus collapsed, the cage isinserted through the sleeve which has previously been placed in positionin the crown sheet, arch or water The mandrel is This causes the rollers20 to ride up on the inclined faces 34 at the rear of the supportingsurfaces 26 and come in contact with the tapered portion of the mandrel,and this forces the rollleg 33, as the case may be.

ers 2O outward causing them to project beyond the cage.

A continued forward pull of the mandrel now causes the tapered portion27 to engage with the expanding rollers 18 and 19. The forward pull onthe mandrel is continued, and at the same'time it is causing the rollers18 and 19 to rotate and also be forced outward radially until they comein contact with the sleeve. This is continued until sufiicient frictionis set up to make the hand turning extremely difficult. Then animplement, such as a wrench, motor or the like, is attached to theangular portion 21 and the mandrel rotated thereby.

The rotation of the mandrel now causes the rollers 18 and 19 to draw themandrel farther into the cage and expand the rollers 18 and 19. Thismovement is occasioned by the arrangement of the axes of the rollers 18and 19 tothe axis of the mandrel, and not alone does the mandrel feedinward or toward the operator, but the cage also has a tendency to movein that direction drawing the rollers 20 against the end of the sleeveor tube. Further rotation causes these rollers to move out radially andforwardly flaring the end of the sleeve or tube, as indicated by thenumeral 32 in Fig. 3.

After the sleeve or tube has been properly flared and seated, therotation of the mandrel is reversed. This feeds the mandrel backward soas to release the excessive pressure on the rollers 18, '19 and 20. Themandrel can then be pushed inward by hand until it again assumes theposition indicated in Fig. 7, after which the entire cage can be readilywithdrawn.

In Fig. 11 I have showed a modified form of structure in which the cage35 is provided with rollers 36 and 37, similar to the rollers 18 and 19,and with rollers 38 corresponding to the rollers20. In this instance,however, the forward end of theinandrel is provided with a cylindricalprojection 39 on which is loosely mounted a washer 40, this washer beingheld by means of apin 41. To the rear of the washer 40 is provided anintegral collar 42. This collar is integral with the mandrel andprevents the washer from moving away from the pin. To the rear of thecollar 42 is a cylindrical portion 43 which is of predetermined length.i

To the rear of the cylindrical portion is a portion 44 which is ratherabruptly tapered, and to the rear of this abruptly tapered portion 44 isa gradually tapered portion 45, which constitutes the working portion ofthe mandrel. This tapered portion again terminates in a cylindricalportion 46 to therear of which is another cylindrical portion 47 Thediameter of the last-mentioned cylindrical portion is larger than thebore 48 which extends longitudinally through the cage 35 and limits themovement of the 1 ,141, was

mandrel through the cage in one direction, the washer 40 preventingmovement in the opposite direction.

The cylindrical portion 47 is provided near its rear end with openings49 arranged at right angles to each other for the insert-ion of a bar topermit the turning of the mandrel. And to the rear of the cylindricalportion 47 is a portion 50 of the same shape as the portion 21 which isfor the purpose of engagement with a wrench or other device for rotatingthe mandrel.

In this device when it is desired to cause the rollers 36, 37 and 38 tocollapse into the cage, the mandrel is pulled out until these rollerscome to rest on the cylindrical portion 43. The cage is then inserted inthe tube or sleeve and the mandrel pushed forward, the abrupt tapercausing these rollers to move out rapidly and ride up on the workingtaper 45 of the mandrel. The mandrel is then rotated in the usualmanner, which causes it to feed longitudinally through the cage in thesame manner as the mandrel disclosed in Fig. 1, with this exception,thatinstead of moving toward the operator when expanding these variousrollers, the mandrel moves away from the operator. Thereafter therotation of this device is the same as previously described.

My device is intended especially for use in locomotive work, although itcan also be used to advantage on stationary boilers, and is moreespecially directed towards securing tubes and sleeves in what is knownas watertube boilers. This type of boiler is coming into extensive useon the railroads throughout the country.

This device is an improvement on an application for tube expanders andflarers, filed by me April 5, 1928, Serial No. 267,527.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tube expander and flarer comprising a cage, a tapered mandrelextending. therethrough and capable of longitudinalmovement therein, aplurality of rollers carried by said cage, said rollers contacting withsaid mandrel and adapted to be projected radially beyond the peripheryof said cage, certain of said rollers being of greater length than theremainder of said rollers, a plurality of tapered flaring rollerscarried by said cage in equally spaced circumferential relation to eachother and between the longer rollers,

said rollers contacting with said mandrel and adapted to be movedoutward and forwardly thereby whereby a tube is expanded and has itsends flared simultaneously, reduced portions formed on said mandrel forpermitting said rollers to recede into said cage, and means carried byone endof said mandrel for receiving a rotating means whereby saidmandrel, rollers and cage can be rotated simultaneously.

2. A tube expander and flarer comprising a" cage, a sleeve projectingfrom said cage, a

ridges, said rollers contacting with saidmandrel' and adapted to bemoved outward and forwardly thereby whereby a tube isexpanded and hasits ends flared simultaneously, means integral with said mandrel forpermitting saidrollers to passinto said cage a predetermined distance,and means on one end of said mandrel for receiving a rotating meanswhereby said mandrel, rollers and cage can be rotated simultaneously.

3 Atube expanderandflarer comprising a cage circular in cross-sectionand having a cylindrical bore. extending longitudinally therethrough,circumferentially spaced openings formed through the wall of said cageadjacent its rear end, saidopenings inclining forwardly, radiallyextending openings formed insaid cage and extending longitudinallythereof, certain of said openings having their rear endsextendingrearward of the forwarcledge of the inclined openingslocated betweent-he'longer openings, flaring rollersl'ocated in said inclined openings,a plurality of expanding. rollers. mounted in the radiallyextendingiopenings, a tapered mandrel? extendingthrough saidzcageandcapable of longitudinalmovement therethrough for simultaneously.projecting; all of said rollers beyondtheperiphery of said cage,zsaidmandrel'being provided atone" end with means for receiving; a rotating.means so that said cage, rollers and: mandrel can .be. rotatedsimultaneously, and reduced portions formed on said mandrel,intermediate its ends, whereby said rollers EIIBTPQIIHlttGClItO passinto the cage while removing or. inserting the cage in the tube.

4:- A tube expander and flarer comprising a cage, a sleeve carriedthereby, expanding rollers carried by said cage and adapted to havetheir peripheries projected beyond the periphery of the cage, thelongitudinal axis of said rollers being at an angle to the longitudinalaxis of said cage, a mandrel having a tapered portion intermediate itsends and movable centrally through said cage and adapted to contact withsaid rollers for causexpanding rollers, said flaring rollers adapted tobe contacted withby said mandrel and moved outward and forwardsimultaneously by said mandrel.

5. A tube expander and flarer comprising a cage, a sleeve carriedthereby, expanding rollers certain of which are of greater length thanthe remainder carried by said cage and adapted to have ther peripheriesprojected be yond the periphery of the cage, the longitudinal axis ofsaid rollers being at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said cage, amandrel having tapered portions movable centrally through said cage andadapted to contact with said rollers for causing said projection of therollers, separate flaring rollers carried by said cage said flaringrollers extending beyond the longer rollers, said flaring rollersadapted to be contacted with by said mandrel and moved outward at anangle less than degrees to the longitudinal axis of said cage by saidmandrel, means carried by the ends of said mandrel for preventing itsremoval from the cage, and, means integral with said mandrel permittingthe expanding and flaring rollers to move into said cage.

6. A tube expander and flarer comprising a cage, a sleeve carriedthereby, expanding rollers of different lengths carried by said cage andadapted to have their peripheries projected beyond the periphery of thecage, the longitudinal axis of said rollers being at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of said cage, a mandrel having a tapered portionmovable centrally through said cage and adapted to contact with saidrollers for causing said projection of the rollers, separate flaringrollers carried by said cage, said flaring rollers having their forwardedges extending in advance of the rear edges of the longer expandingrollers adapted to be contacted with by said mandrel and moved outwardand forward simultaneously by said mandrel, means carried by the ends ofsaid mandrel for preventing its removal from the cage, and means formedon said mandrel for permitting the expanding and flaring rollers to moveinto said cage.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

GRAVES R. MAUPIN.

